These state profiles were developed in close collaboration with the teams from our collaborative and are a snapshot of the current policy landscape of each participating state. They reflect a combination of publicly available information on alternative education policy from state department websites and information shared by team members directly.
In Arkansas, an Alternative Learning Environment (ALE) is defined under Arkansas Code § 6-48-101 as: “An alternate class or program within a public school or school district that affords all students an environment that seeks to eliminate barriers to learning for any student whose academic and social progress is negatively affected by the student's personal characteristics or situation.”
447 in 2023–24.†
11,249 alternative school students served in 2023–24.
Alternative programs serve students in all grades to age 21.
To be placed in alternative learning in Arkansas, a student must be experiencing or exhibiting two or more of the following situations or characteristics:
Arkansas employs a student-based funding formula with additional categorical funding for specific students (e.g., English language learners) and districts’ percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and geographic isolation. Arkansas also provides categorical funding for ALEs. ALE funding is based on the full-time equivalent (FTE) number of students enrolled in the school for the previous year, as long as the student was enrolled in the ALE program for 20 or more consecutive days.
There are currently no alternative accountability metrics. The Arkansas Educational Support and Accountability Act (AESAA) is the state's primary framework for accountability. It establishes academic standards and growth metrics, a statewide assessment system, and a student-focused learning approach (including college and career readiness) to measure and support individual academic growth. The Act emphasizes educator excellence, requiring that all students—and especially students furthest from educational opportunity—have access to effective teachers.
The Arkansas Digital Learning Act, passed in 2013, mandates that all public school districts and public charter schools in Arkansas offer at least one digital learning course to students, either as a primary or supplementary method of instruction. This act requires digital learning courses to be of high quality, meet state curriculum standards, and be available in a blended, online, or other technology-based formats. This act provides ALEs with the flexibility to implement innovative scheduling and accommodate attendance models that work for students’ needs. Students in an ALE hybrid program must participate on site for direct support at least 20 percent of the total instructional time to be counted for funding.
†Information provided by State Action Collaborative members.